Button.



No. 895,740. 'PATENTED AUG. 11, 1908.

' s. A. FRENCH.

BUTTON.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 3,1907.

. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL A. FRENCH, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

BUTTON.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL A. FRENCH, a citizen of the United States, and resident of the borough of Manhattan, in the city and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Buttons, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to buttons and more particularly to a button capable of being secured against displacement in the position in which it is used.

I have chosen to illustrate my invention, a type of button suitable for use in connection with collars and cuffs.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view of the button with the fastening device swung into its open position ready to apply the button, Fig. 2 is a View showing the fastening in its closed position, Fig. 3 is a section in the plane of the line AA of Fig. 2, and Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7 are face views of modified forms of fastening.

In all the forms illustrated, the fastening is made of resilient material capable of springing past the head of the button into and out of contact with its stem and is pivotally secured to the base of the button to be swung into and out of fastening position relative thereto.

The base of the button is denoted by 1; its stem by 2 and its head by 3.

On the base 1 there is fixed a socket 4 for the reception of the end of the fastening, the latter being conveniently formed of spring wire.

In the form shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, the end of the fastener which is received in the socket is denoted by 5; the end which engages the button is denoted by 6 and a single bend 7 is located between the socket end and free end in order to bring the free end in position to engage the stem of the button.

The fastener may be held in its socket by giving its socket end a slight turn and the free end may be made smooth by turning it in the form of a small bend or eye. This feature may also add to convenience in receiving the finger of the operator to bring the free end into and out of position to effect a fastening.

In operation, the head of the button having been passed through the article to be fastened, as through a button hole therein, the fastening device may be swung over into engagement with the head of the button and Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. June 3, 1907.

Patented Aug. 11, 1908.

Serial No. 376,983.

by pressure, the fastening device may be sprung outwardly sufficient to pass the head when it will, of its own resiliency, spring back into engagement with the stem and thus form a secure lock against the unintentional displacement of the button.

hen it is desired to remove the button, the free end of the fastening device may be sprung outwardly sufficient to pass the head of the button and the fastening device then swung over into open position to permit the 1button to be withdrawn through the button ole.

I11 the form shown in Fig. 4, the fastening device is given a double bend, the bends of the device being denoted by 8 and 9, before it passes into position to engage the head of the button. This form admits of increased resiliency to the fastening device while the socket may be located quite near the stem of the button 011 the base thereof.

In the form shown in Fig. 5, the fastening device is given a double bend, the bends being noted by 10 and 11, and the free end, instead of going over the side of the head of the button furthest from the socket, is intended to spring inwardly and pass that side of the head of the button nearest the socket, the free end of the spring still resting when in locked position against the stem of the button.

In the form shown in Fig. 6, the fastening device is given two bends denoted by 12 and 13, and its free end springs over the outer side of the head of the button but extends in %he opposite direction from that shown in In the form shown in Fig. 7 the fastening device is given three bends, denoted by 14, 15, 16, its free end springing over the outer edge of the button and extending in the same direction to that shown in Fig. 1.

In all the forms presented, the base of the button forms the support for the fastening device and thus serves a double function of preventing the button from passing outwardly through the button hole and at the same time forms a support for the fastening device and coacts with it to lock the button against displacement in either an outwardly or inwardly direction when the fastening device is swung into operative position.

The device has the advantage of a smooth surface not liable to chafe the flesh of the wearer and the device furthermore is hidden from view when the second part of the article to be buttoned is passed into position over the head of the .button.

While I have shown several different forms which the fastening device may assume, it is obvious that other forms might be resorted to within the scope of the appended claim without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention; hence I do not wish to limit myself strictly to the structure herein shown and described, but

What I claim is A button comprising a base, a stem, a head and a resilient fastening device consisting of a single part extending at one end along and having a rocking movement in a socket on the base at one side of the stem, the body of the fastening being curved to bring the free end of the fastening into sidewise position underneath the head and the said fastening device being free to yield downwardly along the stem while having a normal tendency to spring against the stem underneath the head.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signed my name in presence of two witnesses, this 31st day of May 1907.

SAMUEL A. FRENCH WVitnesses F. GEORGE BARRY, H v C. S. SUNGREN. i 

